Springtime Tips to Spruce Up Your Home

Spring is just around the corner, and it can be the perfect time to spruce up your house -- inside and out.

Whether you are looking to sell your house or just improve its appearance for your own living environment, here are four easy and cheap tips from home expert Danny Lipford, host of television’s “Today’s Homeowner.”

No. 1: Clean your deck. Many homes have wooden decks that take a brutal beating during long winters. Lipford said pressure washing decks is popular, but using a deck cleaner and water hose is just as efficient.

“It cleans as well, or better than a power wash,” Lipford said. “It helps to open up the pores and get debris out of the wood.” Buying a nylon brush and deck cleaner will run homeowners under $25, Lipford said.

No. 2: Paint. From a value standpoint, Lipford said any painting that can be done, especially on the front of the home, adds major value.

“Even if it’s just the door or shutters, to just introduce a bit of color on the house, it’s always a positive,” Lipford said. Painting a door and shutters can be done for under $25, and doing the entire front of a house would be under $100, he said.

No. 3: Minor landscaping. Trimming back anything that is overgrown or plants that have died in the winter helps to brighten up any yard.

“With nicer weather coming, it’s a good time to be introducing any new plants or flowers, and certainly remulching,” Lipford said. “Any new mulch will give it a fresher look.”

Upgrading your landscaping without completely renovating the yard should cost no more than $250, according to Lipford, and will go a long way.

No. 4: Get all moving parts working. Spring is the perfect time to take a walk around your home, inside and out, and make sure all moving parts are working properly. Garage door tracks, gate latches, attic steps can all be running more smoothly with the right lubricant, Lipford said.

“In under 30 minutes you can make what you have work a lot better,” he said. The lubricant should be less than $10 and can be found at hardware stores.